The campus & on-campus accommodation in Ikaria

The Ikarian Center campus is located at an altitude of 300m in a wooded area on a hillside between the coastal village of Karavostamo (3 km) and Arethousa (1.5 km). The roads from the villages of Arethousa or Karavostamo to the guesthouse are not paved and there is no traffic. A breathtaking landscape surrounding the campus combines views of the sea and the rugged slopes of island’s mountain. In the sky, birds of prey fly during the day, while the Milky Way and thousands of stars appear on the stunningly clear summer nights. Hiking paths are immediately available, and several beaches fairly close by.

The facilities consists of a group of four separate buildings, each designed and constructed with a careful eye to the traditional local architecture. They were designed intentionally to host our Greek language lessons and accommodate our students.

Students, teachers and coordinators live at the campus together, in private rooms. Students can also share their rooms with a friend who travels with them but doesn’t attend classes. On-campus accommodation is perfect for those who wish for an experience off the beaten path. Here you can enjoy a course combined with a healthy dose of nature and community, not to mention the opportunity to become better acquainted with the local Ikarian culture (which may make have you believing you just stepped out of a time machine).

Although students will have their own private space, the larger areas on campus – the patio, classrooms, and common kitchen – provide a place for teachers and students to come together for learning, for discussions, for meals, and for enjoyment. The scheduled afternoon/evening activities, like traditional dance lessons, learning to sing Greek songs, film screenings and slide shows, create a learning environment outside the classroom that makes the students’ stay more productive, interesting and fun.

The Centre’s mini bus together with its driver are available after the end of the lessons for short excursions to the island, to visit nearby beaches or to go to Evdilos, the port and central village of North Ikaria, 8Km away.

Additionally, spontaneous activities such as hiking, going out to authentic local tavernas, ‘cooking evenings’ or film screenings, occur during our free time, according to the mood of the group.

Rooms

There are two beds, a kitchenette and an en-suite bathroom in each room. Each room can host 2 people. The rooms are all located adjacent to the campus’ course venues. The rest of the facilities and services include:

indoors and open-air classrooms,

linen,

wi-fi,

free access to a washing machine and

a large common kitchen.

Local transport

There is no public bus and taxis are quite expensive and not always available. The students with on-campus accommodation use the small bus of the Center, together with its guide, for their travels and for small excursions after the lessons. If you want to be independent, you can rent a car or scooter from car rentals in Evdilos

Food

There is no canteen, restaurant or grocery store at the campus. Breakfast or meals are NOT served, however students may use the kitchenette in their room or the common area in order to prepare their breakfast and meals. In the nearby villages of Arethousa (15 min by foot) and Karavostamo (less than 10 min by car) there are small grocery stores, cafes, and tavernas. The cost of living in Ikaria is still quite inexpensive: A meal at one of the local tavernas costs about €10-14 (including wine).